Water heater base

Abstract

A method of making a circular support base for a water heater in which a sheet of material having two ends is formed with corrugations such that the corrugations are progressively more pronounced towards one longitudinal edge thereby creating a generally circular shape out of the formerly straight sheet material, the two ends are connected to form an unbroken circular shape, the corrugated material is shaped to form a lip at an inner circumferential region, and the circular lip intersects with an outer circumferential region of the support base to form a circular trough for supporting and positioning a water tank of the water heater.

1. A method of making a circular support base for a water heater wherein:
 a sheet of material having two ends and longitudinal edges extending between the two ends is formed with corrugations extending from one of the longitudinal edges toward the other longitudinal edge, such that the corrugations are progressively more pronounced towards one longitudinal edge thereby creating a generally circular shape out of the formerly straight sheet material; 
 the two ends are connected to form an unbroken circular shape; 
 the corrugated material is shaped to form a lip at an inner circumferential region; and 
 the circular lip intersects with an outer circumferential region of the support base to form a circular trough for supporting and positioning a water tank of the water heater. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sheet has an upper region that is formed without any corrugations and the ends of the upper region are joined together to form an outer jacket. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein a top portion of the sheet extends upwardly from the outer circumferential region and is positioned above the outer circumferential region; and
 wherein the outer circumferential region is positioned between the lip and the top portion. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  wherein the outer circumferential region is angled relative to the lip; and
 wherein the corrugations extend through the lip and through the outer circumferential region. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  wherein the corrugations are angled relative to the longitudinal edge. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the outer circumferential region is angled relative to the lip; and
 wherein the corrugations extend through the lip and through the outer circumferential region. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the corrugations are angled relative to the longitudinal edge. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the outer circumferential region is angled relative to the lip; and
 wherein the corrugations extend through the lip and through the outer circumferential region. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein the corrugations are angled relative to the longitudinal edge. 
     
     
       10. A method of making a support base for a water heater including a water storage tank, the method comprising:
 providing a sheet of material including a left end, a right end, a top longitudinal edge extending between the left end and the right end, and a bottom longitudinal edge extending between the left end and the right end; 
 forming a plurality of corrugations in the sheet, each corrugation extending between the bottom longitudinal edge and the top longitudinal edge; 
 making a first bend in the sheet, the first bend positioned between the top longitudinal edge and the bottom longitudinal edge to form a lip between the first bend and the bottom longitudinal edge; 
 making a second bend in the sheet, the second bend positioned between the top longitudinal edge and the first bend to form a top portion between the second bend and the top longitudinal edge and a middle portion between the first bend and the second bend; 
 forming a curve in the sheet to bring the left end into contact with the right end; and 
 connecting the left end to the right end to form a trough between the lip and the middle portion, the trough for receiving the water storage tank. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein making the first bend in the sheet includes forming a first interior angle of less than ninety degrees between the lip and the middle portion. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein making the second bend in the sheet includes forming a second interior angle of more than ninety degrees between the middle portion and the top portion. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein making the second bend in the sheet includes forming a second interior angle of more than ninety degrees between the middle portion and the top portion. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein forming a plurality of corrugations includes making each corrugation more pronounced near the bottom longitudinal edge than near the top longitudinal edge. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , wherein forming a plurality of corrugations includes creating a series of alternating peaks and valleys having a height, the height near the bottom longitudinal edge greater than the height near the top longitudinal edge. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10 , wherein making a second bend in the sheet includes defining a support surface at the intersection of the top portion and the middle portion, the support surface being configured to receive and support a bottom edge of a jacket surrounding the water storage tank such that the jacket is elevated from a floor on which the support base sits. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 10 , wherein forming a plurality of corrugations includes taking up material of the sheet along the bottom longitudinal edge at a greater rate than at the top longitudinal edge.